Retired Centralia physician Dee. C. Boswell has been awarded the Rotary’s prestigious Service Above Self Award, according to District Governor Thomas H. Ripperda.

One of only 150 made out of Rotary’s 1.2 million worldwide members, the award was announced Saturday during Rotary

Dr. Dee Boswell

District 6510′s annual District Assembly in Carterville. Ripperda had nominated Boswell for the honor, but kept the international organization’s action a secret until making the award public at the assembly event.

“The Rotary International Board approves the Service Above Self Award to those Rotarians who have done exceptional service locallyl and internationally to make the world a bettery place,” said Ripperda. “Dee has been a leader in District 6510. He is a former district governor and he has helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars fo rRotary’s charity arm, The Rotary Foundation.”

Ripperda noted Boswell’s involvement in Rotary’s signature project, the effort to eradicate polio. “Dee’s leadership in eradication of polio over the past 25 years has inspired others. He has both raised funds and given the life-saving polio vaccine drops to children overseas.”

When Rotary commenced its campaign to eradicate polio in 1985, more than 350,000 children were stricken with the disease in more than 125 countries each year. Last year the disease was confined to three countries and fewer than 250 new cases, noted Ripperda.

“District 6510 is blessed to have Dee Boswell to represent the work of Rotary,” he commented, “but in addition to his Rotary service, Bosewll has served his community on the Centralia school board and as a member of the board of trustees of Kaskaskia College. He has truly placed service above self.”